James Downing Grant, 175 acres on Smith's Creek, 5 February 1753, Augusta
County, Virginia Land Patents Office, Patent No. 32, 1752-1756, reel 30, pp. 23, 24.

George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King
Defender of the Earth vc TO ALL TO WHOM these presents shall come Greeting KNOW YE
that for divers good causes and considerations but more especially for and in consideration of
the sum of SEVENTY SHILLINGS of good and lawful money for 'our' use paid to our Receiver
General of our Revenues in this our Colony and Dominion of Virginia WE HAVE Given
Granted and confirmed and by these presents for us our Heirs and Successors DO Give Grant
and confirm unto James Downing one certain Tract or Parcel of Land containing one hundred
and seventy five acres Lying and being in the County of Augusta and bounded as followeth, to
wit. BEGINNING at a Spanish Oak corner to John Loves Land near a line of John Davis's Land
on the head Waters of Smith's Creek and running Thence South Seventy Degrees East two
hundred and twelve Poles to a white and black Oaks and North forty nine degrees East one
hundred and forty Poles to a black Oak and Hiccory and North fifty five degrees West one
hundred and Sixty eight Poles to a Black Oak on the top of a hill and South fifty five degrees
West two hundred and two Poles to the Beginning WITH ANY woods underwoods swamps
marshes longground meadows feedings and his due Share of all veins mines and Quarries as
well discovered as not discovered within the boundry aforesaid and being part of the said
Quantity of one hundred and seventy five Acres of Land and the Rivers Waters and Water
Courses therein contained together with the Privileges of Hunting Hawking Fishing Fowling
and all other Profits Commodities and Hereditaments whatsoever to the same or any part
thereof belonging or in any wise appertaining TO HAVE HOLD possess and enjoy the said
Tract or Parcel of Land and all other the before Granted Premises and every part thereof with
their and every of their appurtenances unto the said James Downing and to his Heirs and
Assigns forever to the only use and Behoof of him the said James Downing his Heirs and
Assigns forever TO BE HELD of us our Heirs and Successors as of our Manor of East
Greenwich in the County of Kent in free and common Soccage(?) and not in Capite or by
Knights Service YIELDING AND PAYING unto us our Heirs and Successors for every fifty
acres of Land and so
proportionally for a lessor or Greater Quantity than fifty acres the (payment?) of one Shilling
Yearly to be Paid upon the Feast of Saint MIchael the Arch Angel and also cultivating and
Improving three acres part of every fifty of the Tract above mentioned within three Years after
the Date of these Presents PROVIDED always that if three years of the said (payment?) shall
at any time be in arrears & unpaid or if the said James Downing his Heirs or Assigns do not
within the space of three Years next coming after that Date of these Presents cultivate and
Improve three acres Part of every fifty of the Tract above mentioned Then the Estate hereby
Granted shall cease and be utterly Determined and thereafter it shall and may be lawful to and
for us our Heirs and Successors to grant the same Land and Premises with the Appurtenances
unto such other Person or Persons as was our Heirs and Successors shall think fit IN
WITNESS whereof we have caused these our Letters Patent to be made WITNESS our Trusty
and wel beloved "Robert Dinwiddie" Esquire our Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief
of our said Colony and Dominion at Williamsburg Under the Seal of our said Colony the fifth
Day of February one thousand Seven hundred and fifty three In the twenty Sixth Year of our
Reign.

                                   Robt Dinwiddie


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